The King 2 Hearts Official Stills From Episode 18

I’m currently dusting off my top-10 favorites list to make room for The King 2 Hearts. I have a feeling its going to earn its place there. It’s a rarity a drama hits so hard I am willing to bump a favorite off for it. This drama will never make my top-10 best list, but in terms of how much I love it, it’s impossible to deny. It owns my heart and soul, this love between a King and his would-be Queen. This drama had guts and heart, buckets and buckets of it, even if its plotting was less than airtight and prone to excess. All the actors rose above and beyond their call of duty, with Lee Seung Gi giving it his all (and then some) and Ha Ji Won redeeming herself for phoning in her last drama performance. The directing was exceptional, and from the PD of Damo I would expect nothing less. As we’re nearing the end, I treasure every little tidbit of this precious drama of mine which shook me out of a drama slump so long I wondered if I should change the tagline of my blog. Bringing you officia plus the download of the full OST for the album. If you offered me a drama that was qualitatively better, I would turn you down because a drama that touches my heart is a rare treat indeed.

Comments

The King 2 Hearts Official Stills From Episode 18 — 40 Comments

Saima on May 20, 2012 at 12:43 AM said:

Thank you for sharing these stills!! They’re spectacular and lush.

Yes, the WOC bit did slow down things a bit but I will commend the writers for being brave in tackling a difficult & complex subject matter. On a week-to-week basis it kept its momentum and maintained that emotional connection that’s often times lost in the latter half of dramas.

In my two years of watching K-dramas I will have to say this has become my favourite! Prior to this drama I either liked a drama or not and now I love every aspect of this drama whole-heartedly! Adore it for being cerebral, with loads of heart, and encouraging dialogue in the int’l audience. On a shallow note, I’ll thank this drama for providing me with my very first humongous fangirl crush on a K-actor!!

And, thank you for recapping and covering tidbits that fed to my fascination with this gem of a drama!! <3

Reply ↓
drmjs on May 20, 2012 at 12:59 AM said:

I love reading your recaps and thanks for the OST. I’m actually thinking of how I could survive while waiting for the last 2 episodes. So, OST? Check! Spoilers? I plan on visiting your blog daily for updates! Hehehe 🙂

Reply ↓
viscacha on May 20, 2012 at 1:34 AM said:

thanks for the OST! I’ve been loving this drama too, and it’s been fun reading your thoughts (and previews)! The end is going to be epic! Can’t wait…

Reply ↓
ck1Oz on May 20, 2012 at 1:47 AM said:

Thanks. I am dying from lack of K2H news in order to avoid reading any spoilers on soompi. So this OST is a godsend.

Reply ↓
topper on May 20, 2012 at 1:52 AM said:

Of all the kdramas I have watched, this drama seems to me the hardest to film.
You need a big budget for all the costumes and palace set, and location filming.
You need to get a lot of non Korean extras who wants to act, and try (sometimes not so well).
You need to make the cast speak many languages they are not good at (French, English, Japanese, Chinese).
You need a lot of difficult outdoor location shoots, for example the WOC war games.
You need to be brave to face the controversies without changing the story you want to tell. PPTV the online site who owns the rights to show the drama in China have censored off all the scenes that has political tones involving China or depicting China in a bad light. And there is currently a backlash with China netizens.

I’m not sure if another drama like this will be attempted any time soon, given the return on investment seems to me not good. The ratings and public reception isn’t good till now, and overseas sales will surely be impacted. Though not flawless, to me this drama is a huge step up.

Reply ↓
- Kender on May 20, 2012 at 8:56 AM said:
  
  Actually, it’s more popular here than you’d think. It’s in reruns literally all the time, and frequently on my way to tutoring or shopping or wherever I can overhear ahjummas chattering about how much they love it (and Seunggi’s acting).
  
  Part of the problem, I think, is that Drama Time is also usually Family Time (10pm is late, sure, but not, ridiculously so), and K2H is a bit heavy for most families here to comfortably share with their children. The girls I tutor are mature enough that their parents let them choose (unfortunately, both girls happen to be DBSG/JYJ fangirls and chose RTP instead, although they also watch K2H in reruns), but many parents would probably prefer the fluffy safeness of RTP over K2H.
  
  There’s also EM, which I’m not up on at all so I can’t vouch for its appeal, but it’s a classic story of revenge and angst (you know Koreans love their makjang) and stars the super-popular UTW, so it’s not surprising it has a decent fanbase, which of course makes it harder for K2H.
  
  Initial ratings aren’t great, yes, but they’re not terrible, and rerun ratings are fairly decent as well.
  
  So basically, don’t discount Korea’s interest in K2H. It’s there, I promise.
  
  Reply ↓
  - hanayori on May 20, 2012 at 9:50 AM said:
    
    TK2H internet live streaming is doing pretty well though, beating EM and RTP. Episodes downloading in 3 of Korea’s largest download sites are doing very well too.
  - topper on May 20, 2012 at 10:26 AM said:
    
    Glad to know that!
    Actually my main point is that from a business viewpoint, it is a bit hard to justify going the extra mile, if you can get the same results by going the safer route, for example by doing rom-coms and makjang type dramas. I suspect you can do 2, maybe even 3 dramas with the budget used for TK2H. Plus the difficulty and risky subject topic.
  - Frankie on May 20, 2012 at 3:29 PM said:
    
    To topper,
    
    I am glad that not every decision is a business only decision. I am glad that some people chose to do something because they felt compelled to. I am glad that some viewers felt the same way and came on board this daring and at times scary ride of TK2H.
AR on May 20, 2012 at 2:31 AM said:

Many thanks for the OST…..love love love it=)

Reply ↓
Sandrou on May 20, 2012 at 4:47 AM said:

I really like this OST ! Thank you

Reply ↓
Jia Min on May 20, 2012 at 4:48 AM said:

No matter what,
I LOVE TK2H!!! and I will SHOUT it out proudly!!!

Reply ↓
- AnonYmous on May 20, 2012 at 10:52 PM said:
  
  Me too Jia Min and I super love King JH. Love live the King !
  
  Reply ↓
annLSG on May 20, 2012 at 5:34 AM said:

Hi miss Koala I am always lurking at your blog and I know you have mad love for K2H , so i was quite surprised why you said this ” This drama will never make my top-10 best list, but in terms of how much I love it, it’s impossible to deny.”

It is definitely your favorite but , dont consider it as one of the best you’ve watched? I am just curious heheheh

As for me it definitely toppled the number one from my favorite and best list 🙂

Reply ↓
zhill on May 20, 2012 at 6:04 AM said:

I will also add this drama on my top-10 favorite list IF my 2 OTP’s are alive and kissing … er kicking in the end *wink* … i wish the princess and her cutiepuppyguard will sing during the royal wedding/reception. JJS is a great singer … i super love this clip from ‘what’s up’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mf9IBCKVWU

Reply ↓
satsuki92 on May 20, 2012 at 7:36 AM said:

thanks for the OST download link 🙂 much appreciated <3
my favourites are "Only You", "Smiling Day" and "I'll Live my Way"

"All the actors rose above and beyond their call of duty……As we’re nearing the end, I treasure every little tidbit of this precious drama of mine which shook me out of a drama slump so long…."

Yes Yes and YESSSS *nodding head vigorously*
The cast of The King 2 Hearts has been amazing. I've never cared this much about side characters in a kdrama before. When Kang Seok wasn't involved in the rescue Hang Ah mission, I noticed (and so did many other TK2H watchers), when Young-Bae was in a huge panic to find Hang Ah, I felt his anxiousness, when Dong Ha was in tears watching Shi Kyung be taken away by Bong Gu's men, I was in tears too.
I applaud every single cast member. Even when I watch an episode raw, for the first time, I still feel whatever emotion they're trying to convey be it pain,suffering,malice etc.

I think the last drama that I really watched from beginning to end was "My Princess" (read a whole of drama recaps instead). I thank "The King 2 Hearts" for bringing me out from my kdrama slump too AND renewing my faith in good kdrama writing.
Oh and also thanks to TK2H for introducing Jo Jung Suk to me 😉 i'm so gonna watch What's Up after this. i've even scoured YouTube for videos of his musical theater roles. sucha talented handsome man <3

Reply ↓
dramaville on May 20, 2012 at 8:52 AM said:

i love secret garden to death! the dialogue and one liners are just top notch. it’s top 2 on my list. i love seunggi, and i love ha jiwon. but together, i just don’t feel as much chemistry as seunggi had with shin minah or ha jiwon with hyunbin or jo insung. seunggi is one of my faves, better than jo insung. but i think it would have worked better for me if it were insung portraying the king. or seunggi having a different female lead.

Reply ↓
Lazy Goose on May 20, 2012 at 10:52 AM said:

Koala, is your OST link 320 kbsp?

Reply ↓
- Lazy Goose on May 20, 2012 at 10:56 AM said:
  
  Looks like it’s not. I found a 320 kbsp version: http://ksong.blog.fc2.com/blog-entry-8415.html
  
  Reply ↓
A-M on May 20, 2012 at 11:03 AM said:

Thanks for the OST 🙂

The music for this really has been great (same for Rooftop Prince, even with the crazy just snowballing). I do not know what I am going to do after next week!

So what other North/South dramas are out there? I’d be curious to see how else the relationship has been handled in dramaland.

Reply ↓
reglest on May 20, 2012 at 2:41 PM said:

I’ve been avoiding Ms.Koala’s blog for sometimes..since it’s near the end, and I tried to get my self to not spoiled. But, who am I? Just a commoner drama lover who can’t resist Ms. Koala’s blog…

It’s weird…I know the story, but the BTS pic still make me teary…Gaaah!! I love this show too much!

Reply ↓
toujourspetite on May 20, 2012 at 2:48 PM said:

The soundtrack for K2H has been phenomenal, seriously. All of these sweeping orchestral tracks have definitely added that extra touch to the overall package of awesome that is K2H! And it’s always the OST that gets you in the end isn’t it, after everything has stopped airing… The nostalgia is going to kill me ;_;

Reply ↓
Osi on May 20, 2012 at 3:21 PM said:

Thank you Ms. Koala.
I really love the OST. When I listen to the songs, I can recall in which scenes they appear. My most favorite instrumental is ‘hang ah’s dream’

Reply ↓
Wenhaz on May 20, 2012 at 5:20 PM said:

Thank you always for sharing all the good stuff!! Thanks for the full album OST DL, love it!
Also the recommendation of Queen In Hyeon’s Man – Jjang!!! I’m smitten! ^^

Reply ↓
xiaoSxin on May 20, 2012 at 5:51 PM said:

YES!! thanks for the link!

ANd I have been meaning to get some good screencaps of JJS in his royal guard uniform.. and here you are, already did everything for me. Such a good unni ~ *HUGS*

Reply ↓
xiaoSxin on May 20, 2012 at 6:02 PM said:

My fave songs on the track are Lee Yoon Ji’s and K. Will’s songs. ANd btw.. I am sad that JJS did not sing for the OST.

Reply ↓
- AnonYmous on May 20, 2012 at 10:46 PM said:
  
  Me too although I am more disappointed that LSGi did not get to sing. His ballads can really melt my heart.
  
  Reply ↓
- satsuki92 on May 21, 2012 at 6:33 AM said:
  
  i’m sad that he didnt sing an OST too 🙁 but at least we got to hear him sing twice (1st was Lee Moon Sae’s Girl and 2nd Jae Shin’s First Love)
  
  Reply ↓
MyPianoTV on May 20, 2012 at 8:44 PM said:

Thanks koala! been waiting for this. I love Hang Ah’s Dream <3

Reply ↓
fangirl98 on May 20, 2012 at 10:09 PM said:

Thanks for the K2H goodies, Koala! It helps pass the time ’til Wednesday. <3

Reply ↓
Joshua_Ahjushi on May 21, 2012 at 12:58 AM said:

thank you 🙂

Reply ↓
em on May 21, 2012 at 1:14 AM said:

K2H will definitely be my number 2 favorite k-drama. This drama is amazing. The main and supporting actors portray their parts very well. Not the typical K-drama.I’m glad that someone is brave enough to make this drama.Sega is my number 1 drama but my addiction to this drama is worse than SEGA probably because it’s base on reality.

Reply ↓
matahari on May 21, 2012 at 8:12 AM said:

this drama is definitely my favorite after nearly 2 years slump on kdrama..i’m a little bit sceptical about this drama because i think the plot would be similar to spy myungwol…and now,i’m hook and love every second of the drama.. ha ji won is spectacular as usual but lee seung gi really catches my eyes…he has grown so much in this drama and he’s good..really2 good…

Reply ↓
hongquixote on May 22, 2012 at 6:30 AM said:

thank you so much; not much of a commenter, but I really enjoy reading people’s thoughts on this drama, and dramas in general.

Reply ↓
Shalines on May 22, 2012 at 12:29 PM said:

This was a most beautiful episode for Shi Kyung & Jae Shin!!! 🙂
Thank you for sharing these pics 🙂

Reply ↓
miftah on June 15, 2012 at 1:07 AM said:

haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa…………….. lee seung gi…

Reply ↓
liez on June 15, 2012 at 1:52 AM said:

Thanks a lot.. ^^

Reply ↓
LEMON on June 15, 2012 at 10:14 PM said:

Thanks for the full OST! BUT I wish I had scrolled down towards the bottom of this thread from the start because the pictures are huge spoilers for those who are not done the drama.

Reply ↓
firacelalusendiri on January 23, 2013 at 10:24 PM said:

keren.banget nih.

Reply ↓
umroh on September 4, 2015 at 10:34 PM said:

i love this drama ..

Reply ↓